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General Staff Victor in Oceanport LARRY S. MacPHAIL — General Staff carried his colors to victory in the Oceanport Handicap on Saturdays opening card at the Monmouth Park course. • . 21,354 at Opening j Of Monmouth Meet Fast MacPhail Sprinter Has Two Lengths on Hi Billee, Northern Star at Finish By FRED GALIANI Staff Correspondent MONMOUTH PARK, Oceanport, N. J., June 14. — With a sprint allowance tally under his belt at Delaware, Larry Mac-Phalls General Staff came up to Monmouth this afternoon and captured the Oceanport Handicap before a record opening day crowd of 21,354 fans. The four-year-old Mahmoud colt was a handy winner over Carolyn K. Stables Hi Billee, scoring by two lengths. It was a tight fit for the three positions behind the winner. Hi Billie necking out Greentree Stables Northern Star, while Alan Clarkes Senator Joe was only another head back in fourth. The favored Tea-Maker finished out of the money. With Willie Passmore riding a cool, heady race, General Staff rattled off the six furlongs in 1:12% over a fast but somewhat dead track and paid 2.60. General Staff had equaled the track mark for the same distance at Delaware in his previous start. Larry MacPhail was presented the Oceanport trophy after the race by Mrs. Edward Wilson, wife of the mayor of the town for which the race was named. Betters Last Years Record The turnout surpassed the previous best opening day crowd, which was set last year when 19,645 filed through the gates on June 16, also a Saturday. The weather was ideal, a bright sun pouring down on the track and a cool breeze blowing steadily. The favorite players did not do too well during the early part of the program, only two choices scoring through the feature. General Staff, bred by the late Crispin • Oglebay, was winning his second race in four starts this year and earned 2,100 as his share of the gross 7,800 purse. The Mahmoud colt had won three starts last year, none of them stakes, although he had been close up in a good many of them, but never able to get the big money. General Staff followed the early pace set first by Senator Joe and then by Hi Billee, moving up on the inside as they rounded a the stretch turn and headed for home. . General fftaff saved ground on the rail, while outside of him came Hi Billee and I Senator Joe. The latter appeared to have 1 been carried out a trifle. Coming down the . home lane General Staff drew away from his rivals, while Hi Billee and Senator Joe s were still closely locked. Northern Star, who had trailed the field for the most part e of the journey, only got to running in the 1 final eighth of a mile, and he came through on the extreme inside to be up for third money. Tea-Maker fiinshed next to last B under his topweight of 120 pounds, without :, appearing a threat at any time, but was r forced to go around horses on the turn and was unable to make any inroads on the General Staff got in with 112 pounds, : which was the fourth highest weight in 1 the field, but off todays record he will probably have to pick up bigger packages, especially in sprints.
